Handicapping the race

What could be wrong in a small city flush with $15 million in reserves, where the average home costs a sweet $1 million, and where the parks and other public amenities are to die for?

The three incumbents in next week’s election deserve much of the credit for the city’s recent rise to glory, but to hear it from the challengers, there are big changes that need to be made at city hall.

James Bozajian, a consummate professional who’s well-liked by his constituents, has managed to stay above the fray and probably will be reelected to his third term when the polls close Tuesday. He was the leading vote-getter in 2001. Incumbent Lesley Devine, a city council member since Calabasas incorporated in 1991, and Michael Harrison, an attorney who’s seeking his second term, offer a different set of possibilities.

Nobody represents the spirit of Calabasas more than Devine. The residents owe her a debt of gratitude for her contributions to the city and her support for the environment is legendary. But Devine and Harrison also are seen as the source of much friction at city council meetings. This so-called lack of civility issue has dogged both of them. As a side note, only two incumbents in city history ever have been voted out: Marvin Lopata in 1997 and Janice Lee in 2003. Pundits say Devine and Harrison are targets this year.

In Harrison’s defense, he is a sharp, innovative and proactive city council member, and he was among the first to blow the whistle on the city’s profligate spending in the Ahmanson Ranch fight.

Mulwood resident Mary Sue Maurer is seen as the dark horse favorite and possible heir-apparent to Devine as the first lady of Calabasas politics.

Bob Sibilia is a former mayor and city council member who proved to be a breath of fresh air and a model of decorum when he served from 1997 to 2000. But Sibilia is finding it hard to catch lightening in a bottle twice. He lost a previous reelection bid in 2003.

Jonathan Wolfson, a city planning commissioner, promises to bring level-headed thinking and a strong grasp of the issues to the council table, but the competition is tight this year and Wolfson might be cast as the odd man out.

Now it’s your turn to assess the candidates. Find out more about what each stands for by visiting the city’s website at www.cityofcalabasas.com. But most important of all, please vote. Apathy is no excuse.